Autopsy Shows Skier, 24, Died From Heart Problem

A heart problem killed a 24-year-old Post Falls man who collapsed while skiing at Silver Mountain, autopsy results showed Monday.

Donald Ells’ family said they did not know the former ski patroller was sick.

“He was fit,” said Scott Walker, Ells’ brother-in-law. “He was never diagnosed with a heart problem.”

Ells grew up in North Idaho and graduated from Post Falls High School in 1989. He was working as an accountant for Advanced Input Devices.

“He was a good person,” Walker said. “He made friends with just a smile.”

Ells learned to ski as a child and spent three years as a ski patroller at Silver Mountain in Kellogg, Idaho.

Walker and Ells spent Saturday together at Silver Mountain. Walker said Ells seemed to feel fine until after lunch.

“He said he was feeling light-headed,” Walker said. “He wanted to go home.”

The two men and another friend were riding the chair lift up to the lodge in order to leave when Ells began moaning.

Ells collapsed as they got off the lift, Walker said.

Ski patrollers and doctors tried unsuccessfully to revive Ells.

Shoshone County Coroner Lonny Duce said some type of heart condition caused Ells’ death. “Exactly what yet we don’t know,” he added.

Additional results from Monday’s autopsy are expected later this week, Duce said.

Ells is survived by a wife who is pregnant with their first child, Walker said.

“She’s in shock,” Walker said. “It’s something she doesn’t really want to believe right now.”

, DataTimes